Twisted Attraction
by brookegrace
Summary: She was the woman that every guy wanted; successful, sexy and smart. He was the guy that she loathed. Some chapters will be rated M.
1. Chapter 1

**What the fuck is wrong with me? Yeah, I don't know either. I'm not supposed to be writing right now, since I'm leaving for a week in a few days, but my friend Morgan pushed me into writing this new story. My idea came from the movie, "The Proposal". So it will loosely be based on that. And it also won't end like the movie did, if it did, the story would be done in like 2.4 chapters. Anyways, enjoy. Please let me know what you think.**

**Xx Nathalie**

--X--

Lucas Scott woke up to the piercing sound of his alarm clock. Waking up at 5:00 a.m. had become some what of a ritual. He had just gotten out of college and was one of the lucky ones to have been placed immediately in a job. He wanted to believe that the job had been given to him because of his gift of writing, but he very well knew that his professor had a thing for blondes. Lucas had grown up playing basketball, and 4 years ago, he would have bet all the money in the world that he would be playing for the NBA right now. Of course, things change, and when he discovered that he had extracted a family heart condition, his dream was thrown in the trash.

So now he found himself working for one of the highest regarded production companies in the world. When he told most people about his job, they quickly assumed that he must be one of the script writers, or better yet, the script supervisor. Well, don't be quick to assume. His professor, Victoria Davis, pulled some strings to get him into the company. After all, it wasn't hard for her. She was the mother of the owner of the company.

The owner of the company. Brooke Davis. She was not much older than Lucas. But in her short twenty three years of age had already accomplished, and obtained more money than most millionaires ever will. She, unlike Lucas, had grown up a very privileged life. When she was only four, her mother discovered that she would not be able to have any more children. Her parents were devastated. They both yearned for a boy that would be able to continue running the family company.

But Brooke proved to be somewhat of a child prodigy. She quickly began the long training that would prepare her for the overwhelming duty of running the most regarded production company in the industry. In two years she produced more box office hits than any other production company in the past. In two short years she bought out Warner Brothers, Universal, and Screen Gems. She was what most people would call an intimidating, stuck up, privileged, conceited, bitch. And by most people, I mean Lucas.

He was her assistant. Victoria, having fallen in love with the young boy, had come up with a fool proof plan to get her daughter to fall madly in love with him. Thus, he would marry into the company, and she would have the son she always dreamed of. But, like you will soon learn, dreams scarcely come true.

After one short date, Brooke swore that she would never have anything to do with Lucas, outside of work. She hated his sense of humor. Hated how cocky he was. Hated how stubborn he was. Hated how he didn't look at the financial aspects of life. Hated that he spent way too much time reading. Hated the fact that her mother was obsessed with him. Hated his repulsive smoking habit. Hated the fact that he had no ambitions. Hated the fact that he came from the "sticks." Hated the way that after one short date he had the ability to read her.

So with that, they did all the could to stay out of each others way. Whenever he needed to tell her something, he simply sent her an IM. Whenever they had to go to a company meeting together, he made sure to stand in the opposite side of the room. And he always managed to find a temp that would bring her the coffee in the morning. He thought he had his life under control. Everything going in place. You could say that he was getting used to going through the daily routine. Wake up, go to work, come home from work, catch some ESPN with Mouth and Skills, go to sleep, and start over again the next day. If only he could have seen what was coming in the future.

--X--

"Lucas!" Brooke shrilled from her office, shuffling through piles of scripts that were littering her desk.

"Yeah?" He asked nonchalant, poking his head into her office.

"Where is the script for Micheal's movie?!" Brooke asked, not looking up from her desk. Completely unaware of the smirk Lucas had on his face. He loved it when things didn't go her way, absolutely loved it.

"Have you checked your desk?" He asked, giving her a curious look. As if he was completely unaware that she had been doing just that for the last ten minutes.

Brooke stopped. Finally pealing her eyes away from the clutter, only to purse her lips in disgust when her eyes met his. "What does _this_ look like to you?" She hissed, signaling in frustration towards her desk.

"A mess."

"Lucas." She sighed, rubbing her temples in a frugal attempt to calm herself down. "Not today._ Please_." She finished, turning back towards the papers, looking through them with more ease.

"I have a copy. You can just use mine."

"You could have just told me that when you first made your presence known." She scuffed, sitting back on her chair, arms crossed against her chest. Uncontentious making her breasts look as if they were about to pop out of her dress.

Lucas couldn't help but notice this. After all, he was a man. He might hate her guts, but he wasn't about to deny the fact that she was probably the sexiest woman he had ever seen. "You didn't ask me if I had a copy though. Did you?" He calmly explained, pealing his eyes from her chest.

"I swear to God. If it wasn't for my mother loving your royal dick of an ass, you would so be gone right now." She hissed, getting up from her chair and making her way towards him. Her long legs getting her across the room in a few steps.

"Well, aren't we feisty today?" He laughed, unconsciously stepping forward, so their chests were almost touching.

"Just get me my script." She hissed. The words coming out in a toxic mixture of hate and lust. She may hate him, but something about him had the power to make every last nerve in her body awake and humming.

"Please?" He teased, watching her jaw clench.

"Go!" She screamed, rolling her eyes in frustration. Watched him laugh as he walked out the door. God. She _really_ hated him.

--X--

Brooke walked in the conference room that was over looking the busy New York streets. She knew everyone in the room. She had grown up surrounded by these men. Having endless play dates with their daughters. Unaware that one day she would own them all.

"Hello everyone." Brooke greeted in her sensual raspy voice. Unwillingly driving all the middle aged men in the room crazy. "You can all sit down." She instructed, as she shook hands with a few business partners she had not seen in years.

"As you all may know," She began, taking a sip of her glass of water. As she always did when she was about to deliver a long speech. "This is one of the biggest movies we have ever gotten the opportunity to produce." She continued, making sure to make eye contact with every single living body in the room.

"She's sooooooooo hot." Whispered a young intern to Lucas, whom was standing in the back of the room, trying to record all that Brooke was saying.

"She's also a bitch." He mumbled, jokingly nudging the young man in the shoulder.

"So what? I'd put up with it to get some of that ass." He laughed, causing a few of the men in the room to turn around, giving scolding looks.

"So as I said," Brooke continued, unaware of what was being said, but still managing to give Lucas one of her oh-so-famous death glares. "We really need to throw everything we have into this." She laughed, playfully flipping her hair. "Michael, would you be willing to tell them more about the script?" She asked the raven haired man next to her.

"I'd love to." He replied, giving her a small wink, which made her already blushed cheeks a darker shade of scarlet.

"Like Brooke previously stated," he began. Brooke no longer following anything that he was saying. Her full attention on the doodles that Lucas had drawn all over the script. Almost every page seemed to have some sort of cartoon, or jack ass joke about Brooke. She continued to flip through it, her face getting reader and reader by the second. Unaware that Micheal had been saying her name for the last few seconds.

"Brooke?" He asked again, this time slightly nudging her arm with his. "Are you okay?" He asked, not being able to ignore the fact that she looked as if she was about to explode.

"Oh, what? Yeah." Brooke laughed, shaking her head at the ridiculous notion that something could possibly be wrong.

"Alright then." He smiled, deciding to continue with what he was saying.

"You. My office. Now." Brooke mouthed across the room, in the direction of Lucas. Who had a sarcastic "I don't know what you're talking about," face. "Now!" She mouthed, quickly smiling at the curious glances some of the men were giving her.

--X--

"Could you be more immature!?" Brooke screamed once her and Chad were locked in her office.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." He simply responded, sitting himself down on her couch, plopping a jelly bean into his mouth.

"Oh of course. So I'm sure you wouldn't be the one that drew all this _bullshit_!?" Brooke replied, lowering her voice on the word "shit," as she watched the shadow of someone walk by.

"Oh yeah, these." He laughed, picking up the script from the floor. As if he really had been clueless to what she was talking about earlier.

"I swear. This is the last straw. You're-" Brooke stopped herself mid sentence. Her mind unable to comprehend the visual messages her eyes were sending. "Mother?" She gasped, it had been exactly three years since she had seen her mother in the flesh. It was like a demon escaping from Hell, to say the least.

"Hello, daughter." Victoria nodded, acknowledging Brooke's presence as if she had last seen her daughter a few minutes ago. "Lucas! Look at you!" Victoria beamed, pulling Lucas into warm hug. "I swear, you get more handsome by the day!" Gushed Victoria, scanning over Lucas' body. Not being able to rid herself of the ridiculous grin on her face.

"I can say the same thing about you." Lucas winked, throwing Brooke a chastising smirk that went unnoticed by Victoria.

"Oh, you devil!" Victoria giggled, before becoming slightly more serious and turning her attention towards the disgusted Brooke.

"What do you want?" Brooke sighed, turning around and making her way towards the desk. Hoping and praying that her mother would leave as quickly as she came.

"Lucas, could you give us a minute?" Victoria asked, shifting her glance from her daughter back to the blue eyed man that was standing by the door.

"Sure thing." He nodded, swiftly turning around and exiting.

"You may be wondering why I'm here-"

"Victoria, just get to the point." Brooke snapped, turning her laptop on. Trying to show as little interest as physically possible.

"Well, since you are just dying to know," Victoria began, making sure her words were laced with an undeniable amount of sarcasm. "When your father handed the company to you, he made a few things clear. And some things, he did not." Victoria paused, noticing Brooke's body slightly tense, who was now curious to hear what her mother had to say. "It has been brought to my attention, that there are a few small things you are to do if you want to continue to have ownership of the company." Victoria finished, watching Brooke begin to get aggravated.

"Spit it out, Victoria." Brooke urged, slamming her laptop closed, and placing her hands across her chest, as she did earlier.

"You have to get married in two weeks." Victoria calmly explained.

"Excuse _me_?" Brooke stuttered, not fully sure she had heard her mother correctly.

"Your twenty fourth birthday is two weeks from now. You have to be married by then." Victoria explained once again, fiddling with the pens on Brooke's desk.

"This has to be a joke." Brooke gasped, now getting up from her chair, anxiously walking in circles around her desk.

"I wish it were, darling." Victoria clapped, getting up from her chair and walking towards the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Brooke shrieked, suddenly beginning to panic. This could _not_ be happening to her. She hadn't been on a date in God knows how long. She didn't like men. She despised them. She loved the freedom of being single. This was not happening. It couldn't be.

"I'm going out to lunch." Victoria laughed, waving Brooke away like she usually did.

"But, but... I don't even have a boy friend!" Brooke mumbled into her hands, falling back onto the couch.

"There is someone." Victoria began, walking back towards where Brooke was sitting. Brooke suddenly turning all her attention back to her mother. "Have you ever thought about Lucas?" Victoria asked, watching her daughter's face contort between shock and amusement.

"As in_ Scott_?" Brooke laughed. Surely her mother had to be kidding. "As if."

"No one said it had to be forever." Victoria shrugged, beginning to get irritated by her daughter's ignorance. "Get married for a few months, then divorce. It didn't say anywhere in the document that it had to be a ten year ordeal." Victoria continued, secretly hoping inside that this could somehow turn into that dream that she once had. Lucas Davis-Scott. No two last names could ever sound better together.

"Mother, I don't-"

"Love him? Oh cry me a damn river Brooke. I didn't love your father, but I sucked it up. Listen. Both your father and I really enjoy him. If you're going marry someone you don't love, make it someone your parents do." Victoria finished, gently patting Brooke's knee as she got up from the couch. "I want a decision by tonight." Victoria ordered, before walking out of the office.

--X--

"Lucas, can you come in here for a second?" Brooke tirelessly sighed into the phone receiver that was connected to a speaker on Lucas' desk.

"Brooke, I'm kinda busy right now." Lucas replied, organizing some papers that were to be sent out to potential clients.

"Lucas, please." She whispered, before putting the phone down and beginning her nervous habit of tapping her foot against the dark red carpeted floor.

"Hey." He nervously smiled, making his way across the room, sitting in a chair opposite of Brooke.

"You really want a promotion, don't you?" Brooke asked, keeping her eyes on the blackberry she was frantically holding between her hands.

"Yeah... dude if this is about the drawings-" Lucas began, but quickly stopped when he saw Brooke shake her head for him to stop.

"You know this company is important to me, right?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Good." Brooke nodded, now fixing her gaze on the man before her. "I need _your_ help."

"You're not going to ask me to kill someone, are you?" He asked skeptically, half serious, half jokingly. After all, Brooke Davis was the Devil.

Brooke simply rolled her eyes. The more he talked the less she wanted to go through with this. This man was an absolute moron. There was no way in Hell she could marry him. She quickly shook the thoughts out of her head, and tried to plaster on a fake smile. "No, I want to make you a proposition." She whispered, scooting forward on her chair, waving Lucas' to scoot closer.

"Okay." He nodded.

"I will give you the position of head script supervisor, if you do one _little_ thing for me." Brooke smiled seductively, sometimes she really did thank God for the glorious gift he had blessed her with.

"What's the thing?" Lucas asked, obviously agitated. He wasn't a very patient person, and the suspense Brooke had quickly created was killing him.

"You marry me."

"You're kidding, right?" He began to laugh, but stopped almost immediately when he saw the scolding look Brooke gave him. "No way in Hell!" Lucas laughed once again, beginning to get up from the chair.

"Lucas. Stop." Brooke asked, finding herself following him to the door, quickly jumping in between him and the exit.

"No way, Brooke." He repeated once again, this time no longer laughing.

"Lucas, it would only be for a few weeks. Nothing big. No one would know." She coaxed, watching him give her an extremely skeptical look.

"Why me?"

Brooke felt herself give out a sigh. This was hurting her pride more than she thought possible. "Because," she stopped. Closing her eyes and thinking of the best way to put this. "My parents basically love you more than they do me."

Lucas could see how much this was causing her, and he immediately began to feel bad for her. He had never seen Brooke Davis with her guard down. Had never seen her have to depend on someone. An incredibly, he found it kind of beautiful.

"No games?"

"No games."

"And once we're married you won't take back your promise for the promotion?" He asked, even though he already knew that Brooke was a woman of her word.

"Promise." Brooke smiled.

"And one last thing?" Lucas asked, suddenly looking at Brooke in a way that Brooke had never seen him do before. The same way that a lot of the men in the conference room looked at her. The lust in his eyes suddenly present.

"Uh, yeah." She nodded, not sure of what else he could possible want.

"I get to pick out the lingerie for the wedding night." He teased, watching her quickly become the Brooke Davis he had become accustomed to.

"Get the fuck out of _my_ office!" She gasped, pushing him out with as much strength as her petite body could manage to summon up. She really hated him.


	2. Hometown Glory

_Lovelies! Today is officially my first day of summer vacation, and I thought it would be the perfect time to update one of my stories. I read over the three that I have going on, and something about this one really got me wanting to write. I just wrote this in about two hours, and didn't bother to send it to my beta. Sorry if there are some mistakes and if it's not super long. Please leave a review! They mean the world. Individual thank-yous are at the bottom.  
_

_xx Nathalie_

-X-

_I've been walking in the same way as I did_  
_And missing out the cracks in the pavement_  
_And tutting my heel and strutting my feet_  
_"Is there anything I can do for you dear? Is there anyone I could call?_  
_No, and thank you, please madam, I ain't lost, just wandering"_

Brooke tirelessly made her way into her maroon colored bedroom. Her black, gladiator Jimmy Choo's threatening to take the last of her patience. She continued to fiddle with the many buttons, and subconsciously wondered why she hadn't gotten tired of this life yet.

And endless charade of cocktail parties, fake smiles, and an even more endless amount of paper work. She should be happy that she's been so fortunate with the luxurious life that has been basically handed to her, and she really is. She just can't shake the dream that she has had ever since she was a little girl.

_A fashion designer._

The thought of her childhood dream makes her burst out in a sour, husky laugh, and with one last tug, she is freed of her seemingly clingy heels.

Instead of moving on to more important matters, her mind continues to ponder over the dream that she reluctantly gave up in the hopes of earning some sort of acceptance in the eyes of her parents. It didn't work out that way though.

Instead it gave her an alternate reality that she found herself escaping to more frequently with each passing day. The life in which she would be sketching in a small shop in Italy. The naïve dream brought a melancholy smile to her lips, and she continued to day dream about it as she walked through her empty apartment. Destination? Her stock of wine that has become the only lullaby that will give way to sleep.

She was about to take her first sip, but her cellphone began to ring from somewhere in her bedroom. The _responsible_ Brooke would have rushed to answer it, fearing that it could be a potential client or emergency, but responsible Brooke was currently "out of service".

Tonight she wanted to be _fun_ Brooke. The Brooke that she locked away when she threw her graduation cap into the sky almost a year ago.

She took a second sip of the red liquid, her full lips pursing as she swallowed the cool salvation. It really fascinated her how she had managed to keep herself together for so long. Sure, a_ year_ may not seem like much, but to Brooke it felt like a lifetime. A lifetime that she no longer wanted. And now that her mother had delivered this new bit of information, she began to wonder if this was God's way of answering her half meant prayers for a way out.

That thought brought out another laugh. God. She quit believing that bull_shit_ when she realized that mommy and daddy weren't really busy, they just hated to spend time with their blessed precious.

"Shit," she murmured, running a set of dark nails through her brown locks in agitation. She really needed to stop thinking, or she would find herself being kept awake all night without reprieve.

Her mind frantically thought of ways to escape the what seemed to be inevitable, and that's when the red headed harlot came to mind.

_Rachel._

The friend that had kept her sane for the last eight years. They met freshmen year of high school, and ever since then the two promiscuous girls had been attached at the hip. They were so much alike, yet so different. Brooke was the more "emotional" of the two, while Rachel seemed to not give a damn about anyone, other than Brooke, of course. She really fascinated Brooke. Something about the redhead seemed to captivate everyone that was able to look past the cold eyes and perfect curves.

She was what Brooke called "an old soul", and most people would laugh, but then again, most people didn't know Rachel. She had never been in a serious relationship, yet Rachel knew _everything_ about heartache. This being something that became what got Brooke through the long nights that seemed to define her high school years.

With that bitter memory in place, Brooke pulled out the small black address book she kept in a drawer in her kitchen. She skimmed through the name, must which she did not recognize, and then her eyes laid rest on that of Rachel Gatina's.

_Round my hometown, memories are fresh_  
_Round my hometown, ooh, the people I've met_  
_Are the wonders of my world, are the wonders of my world_  
_Are the wonders of this world, are the wonders and now_

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her home phone, hesitantly dialing each number, before finding herself counting the rings until her long lost best friend answered.

"Hello?" The deep, husky voice of a man was the last thing she expected, and she skimmed the clock that sat ticking before her, which read "3:57". _Shit._ She felt instantly guilty and fought back the urge to hang up the phone.

"I think I've dialed the wrong number," she mumbled apologetically, squinting her eyes when she heard giggling in the background, which was followed by a voice she would recognize anywhere.

"Hello?" Rachel giggled, and Brooke could picture her trying to fight back the man that was surely the reason for her to be up at such an hour.

"Hey," Brooke laughed, not bothering to say who it was.

"Brooke?"

"Yeah," she laughed again, this time nervously. Suddenly she remembered why she hadn't seen the red headed vixen in almost a year.

"Are you _okay_?"

"Yeah, fine," she replied, now nervously pacing the corridor that lead to her bedroom. The last time she had seen Rachel was the morning after they had graduated college. The two girls had always spoken of running off to Europe together with the money they would both inherit from their parents, but somehow, Brooke never really thought that these usually drunken conversations were more than that to her friend.

To say that Rachel felt hurt and betrayed when the one person she counted as family laughed at her face for still wanting to do such "childish things" was an understatement. And suddenly, Brooke felt a very familiar pain deep within her when she pictured her friend opening up to her for the first time, and Brooke stupidly walking away.

"Listen, Rach, do you wanna get a drink?"

"Now?"

"Mhm," Brooke murmured, already picturing Rachel laughing through the receiver and hanging up, but when Rachel giggled a "hell yeah," she couldn't help the smile that came to her lips.

_I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque_  
_I love it to see everybody in short skirts, shorts and shades_  
_I like it in the city when two worlds collide_  
_You get the people and the government_  
_Everybody taking different sides_

-X-

They had both agreed to meet halfway at a nightclub called "Greenhouse", which Brooke had recently visited with a business partner and fallen in love with.

It wasn't until 4:45 that the redheaded vixen walked into the club, giving her eyes a few second to become accustomed to the lighting, before spotting her dimple faced friend.

"If it isn't that skank I used to hangout with," Rachel laughed, walking up to her former best friend, before both meeting in a mutual hug.

"I can see that you've missed me too, slut," Brooke whispered, before giving her friend one last squeeze, and both pulling from the embrace.

"_I _can see you didn't waste any time," Rachel nodded in the direction of the two shot glasses that Brooke had already drowned, signaling the bar tender to bring more.

"Well, maybe if _you_ hadn't taken so long," Brooke shot back in sarcasm.

Rachel simply shrugged her shoulders, suddenly at a loss of words to say to her now acquaintance. She was trying to not show it, but to say that she wasn't still hurting over how easily Brooke seemed to have forgotten her would be a lie.

"So, who was that guy that was keeping you busy?" Brooke asked, her pinky mindlessly tracing an empty shot glass, as she tried to ease some of the tension that had formed. The last thing she wanted was for Rachel to be reminded of what happened, but she knew that was wishful thinking.

"My_ boy friend_," Rachel shrugged, as if her having a boy friend was as common as the sun rising. She ignored the gaping look on her friend's face, and rolled her shoulders back, resting against the marble counter of the bar.

"You're kidding me," Brooke laughed, and Rachel could tell that it wasn't a question, but a statement, and something about that made her blood begin to boil.

"Shocking that I'm not _that_ much of a whore?" Rachel asked, gulping down two shots back to back, and pursing her lips against a lemon wedge, as she watched Brooke's face contort between shock and humiliation.

"That's not what I meant-"

"Save it, Brooke," Rachel laughed, her eyes turning a darker shade. "Do you wanna tell me why you _really_ asked me to come?"

"I," Brooke stuttered, realizing that she really wasn't sure why she had called her friend. Bored? Lonely? Either way, she wasn't about to let Rachel laugh an "I told you so," at how unhappy she was with _this_ life.

"I thought you would want to see me, Rach," Brooke lied, instantly regretting it after seeing the scolding look her friend had just given her.

"At almost five in the morning?" Rachel countered, a chastising smirk on her tanned face.

"Rachel, I didn't come here to fight."

"Right. You came here so you could make peace with your little demons, huh, Brooke?"

"That's not even right," Brooke replied, suddenly feeling like a child that had stolen cookies and had just been caught by her mother.

"Well, I didn't leave a _nine inch_ man in my room for nothing, so you better make this up to me Davis," she snickered, flipping her long locks over her shoulder, and signaling for another round of shots.

_Shows that we ain't gonna stand shit_  
_Shows that we are united_  
_Shows that we ain't gonna take it_  
_Shows that we ain't gonna stand shit_  
_Shows that we are united_

-X-

Two hours later and the sexy duo found themselves leaving the club. The bar closed at five, but the two vixens had flirted their way into staying for two more hours. Giggling like school girls over old memories of frat parties that they had attended for most of their college lives.

Brooke tripped over the last step, grabbing for Rachel seconds before her bottom made contact with the marble stairs.

"That's going to hurt in the morning," Brooke giggled, putting her hand over her lips as she let out a small hiccup.

"It _is_ the morning," Rachel giggled back, spinning in circles as her skin soaked up the few rays that were present in the golden morning sky.

"Oh, woops," Brooke laughed, as she struggled to pick herself back up. Her dark purple dress screwed up against her waist, and she fumbled with it for a few seconds before being able to fold the tight material back down to her mid thigh.

"I'm hungry."

"Me too," murmured Brooke, now rubbing her tummy like a starved three year old. And that's when Rachel realized that something about her friend had changed. She didn't look older like most people did. Quite the opposite, actually. Brooke looked like the sixteen year old version that Rachel met years ago, and she wasn't sure how that was possible.

"Wanna come to my apartment?" Rachel asked, linking her arm with Brooke's like they often did years ago. "My boy can cook up a mad omelet."

_Round my hometown, memories are fresh_  
_Round my hometown, ooh, the people I've met_  
_Are the wonders of my world, are the wonders of my world_  
_Are the wonders of this world, are the wonders and now_

-X-

It wasn't until around ten in the morning that Brooke was finally able to get home. She was happy to have seen her old friend, and even more happy that the two were now on speaking terms, but she couldn't shake the sadness she also felt.

Rachel lived comfortably, so that definitely wasn't what had Brooke feeling envious. It was the fact that Rachel seemed genuinely_ happy_ with her life. After being introduced to Rachel's boy friend, Owen, she realized just how lucky Rachel was. This guy, Owen, was definitely head over heels for Rachel, and Brooke could see that Rachel was the same way about him.

She was happy to see her friend in such a state of bliss, because to be honest, Brooke used to worry about Rachel never finding anyone. Her best friend was the most promiscuous girl that Brooke had ever met, and it was hard to imagine that there would ever be a guy capable of taming her.

She knew she shouldn't be envious; she had much more than Rachel ever would. Money, power, celebrity. She was just missing the one thing that her friend had._ Love._

Brooke was awaken from her thoughts by a persistent knock against her dark, red door. She sighed, getting up from her couch, and hesitantly made her way towards it.

She rubbed her eyes for a second, squinting up at the blonde haired man before her. She was definitely not dreaming.

"This is my day off," she informed, beginning to close the door, but stopping when he put his hand out, stopping her movements.

"I know," he nodded, slipping through the opening that was left, and walking into her immaculately decorated living room.

"What the fuck, Lucas," she whined, rubbing her temples as she sat back down on her plush couch. Her head had been hurting uncontrollably for the last hour, and all she wanted to do was sleep.

"That's no way to speak to your fiance," he chastised, sitting down next to her, finding pleasure in the disgusted look she gave him.

"About that," she replied, slipping out of her shoes for the second time in the last few hours, "I take back what I said."

"Really?" He asked, a smile on his face as he watched her nod, her eyes closed the whole time.

"Mhm," she murmured, licking her lips as she did so. Maybe if Brooke's eyes had been opened, she would have seen the lust that had flickered in his cobalt eyes, but she didn't. She continued with her erotic gestures, not realizing that the man next to her was half hard from watching her dress ride up as she crossed her legs.

"That's too bad," he huskily whispered. Brooke's eyes shot open as she felt the heat of his breath tickle the small of her neck. He should definitely not be this close to her. It was definitely not good for her mental health. The way his muscles could be seen through his dress shirt, and the way his eyes seemed to read her thoughts. _Fuck_. She definitely needed him to stop, because the longer he stared at her the way he was right now, the harder it was to come up with reasons for why he should stop.

"W-why?" She stuttered, trying to act like she wasn't currently dying from want and need.

"I talked to your mom last night, and in about an hour and a half, the whole world will be informed of our engagement."

"No," she whispered, suddenly pulled out of whatever trance she had found herself in seconds ago. Her mother had promised her that no one would find out of this. She made it sound like it would be quick and clean. This definitely was not quick and clean. More like long and messy.

"Where are you going?" Lucas asked, watching Brooke slip into flip flops and quickly grab a dark blue purse that sat by the door.

"To fix this," she spat, throwing her hands in the air in annoyance. He began to chuckle when he heard the door click shut, but abruptly stopped when Brooke opened it, sticking her head in as she hissed, "don't make yourself at home."

_Round my hometown, memories are fresh_  
_Round my hometown, ooh, the people I've met_  
_Are the wonders of my world, are the wonders of my world_  
_Are the wonders of this world, are the wonders of my world_  
_Of my world, yeah, of my world, of my world, yeah_

-X-

"Mother!" Brooke wailed, as she made her way into her childhood home. Not bothering to knock, which resulted in a scolding look from her childhood nanny, which was now the cook.

"She's not in," explained Maria, giving Brooke a look over, before shaking her head in distaste. She really was the sweetest little girl when she was younger, it was a shame that she had let her parents influence the woman that she turned out to be.

"Well, _where_ is she?" Brooke inquired, her patience long gone.

"How am I supposed to know?" Maria replied coolly.

"Fuck, Maria, you're sooooo useless sometimes," Brooke stated, not caring that her words were burning the close relationship that she and this elderly woman once had.

"Brooke, that's really no way to treat the woman that took care of you for eighteen years." Brooke turned around to see her mother walking in from the back door, shopping bags in tow.

"Whatever," Brooke mumbled, beginning to follow her mother into the family room. "Want to explain to me what this diabolical plan you've come up with is all about?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about,_ precious_," Victoria cooed, not looking at Brooke, instead looking through all the bags she had brought into the house with her.

"Victoria, cut it out," Brooke whined, suddenly feeling as though she would break down and cry any second. She felt as though her life was spinning out of control, and she had no idea how to stop it.

"Sweetheart, you're so young," she stated, still not bothering to look at Brooke. "One day you'll look back on this and realize that I did it all for your own good."

"How is you controlling my life for my own good?" Brooke spat, the salty tears spilling out of her eyes. Her husky sobs finally getting Victoria to look at her daughter.

"Don't cry, Brooke," she hissed in disgust, walking over and handing her daughter a handkerchief. She had only seen Brooke cry a few times in her life and she absolutely hated it. Not because it made her feel bad that her baby was in pain, but because it felt like an _inconvenience_ to her hectic schedule.

"I don't even_ love_ him."

"So? I didn't love your father and look how we turned out," Victoria said, trying to make her daughter feel better.

"Okay, that doesn't exactly make me feel better," Brooke sobbed, realizing that she would rather be dead than stuck in a miserable relationship like that of her parents.

"Only two weeks, Brooke," Victoria sighed, getting up from the couch and making her way out of the room.

Brooke continued to sit there, not able to comprehend that her life was about to change whether she wanted it to or not.

-X-

jxcz1114 - Thanks! I really hope you enjoy this update!

bdavisrulz - Thank you, hun! There's not much of an age difference. Half a year at most.

eunice101 - Thanks for reviewing! Hope you enjoy this one!

juicetroop82- Thank you! You're one of my loyal readers and I'm so glad you enjoy this one so far!

Elizabeth21 - Thank you so much!

DarkBrownEyes03 - Awww, thanks! Hopefully I will update Ashes and Wine by the end of this weekend!

Julchen1515 - Yay, I'm glad you like it so far!

BDavisLScott23 - A bitchy Brooke and cocky Lucas really is the best. Honestly, how hot are they when they "hate" eachother? Hope you enjoy this update!

dianehermans - Thanks, Diane! Hope you enjoy this one!

koumi11 - Haha, cute! Thanks for reading!

OTH-Brucas-love - Wow, that was so flattering! Thank you so so so much. You're honestly a doll and I always look forward to your reviews!

watchthisfad - Thanks! Hope you enjoy!


	3. They'll Never Know

_I am honestly so grateful to have you guys, and words can't begin to come close to explaining it. Because of this, I have decided to update this story really soon. I'll try to keep this short. I deleted five of my stories. Now I only have the three that I am currently trying to balance, and one I posted a long time ago that was just an intro. Once I'm done with these three, that's the story I want to pursue. Please, take a minute to go read the paragraph long intro, and let me know if you're interested or if you would like me to try and come up with something else. The name of it is "A Scarlet Colored Promise". _

_Xx Nathalie_

-X-

_Hush, baby don't cry, _

_ Just get through this night, _

_ Overcome _

_ Cause all that you are, _

_ Is broken inside, _

_ But they'll never know, _

_they'll never know._

Brooke was drained emotionally and physically. She had opted to walk the thirty-two blocks that distanced her childhood home from her current residence. She figured that the brisk New York air would do her good, and it had also been a few months since she had been able to attend the gym. Not that she even needed to exercise her naturally toned body, of course.

In all reality, she hadn't realized how much her legs ached until she stood in the elevator, waiting to be brought into her apartment.

She dragged her feet across the white carpet until she was parallel with her red door, and she fought back the urge to claw at the crimson color.

The keys jingled for a few seconds before she mechanically stuck the golden one into the also golden lock. She twisted the key a few times, adjusting the purse back onto her shoulder, before hearing the click that called like salvation to her ears.

She was_ home_.

She dropped her purse inches away from the door. This being something new, since she was one to keep all objects in there respective place.

Her neat freak part instantly began to nag at her, but she pushed the thought of the discarded object from her mind. Why? Because suddenly more important things had begun to occupy it.

Earlier today her mother had announced to the world that Brooke was to be married. She gushed about how in love her daughter and the handsome blonde were, and Brooke couldn't help but think that her mother should have taken a shot at acting.

She felt incredibly overwhelmed. Brooke was secretly yearning for a friend that she could talk to, but she just didn't have one. Rachel was a possibility, of course, but Brooke had just mended their friendship and it didn't yet feel comfortable to share things about her life with the redhead.

She decided on calling Millie. Millie was Brooke's assistant. They had both met in college, and Brooke had instantly felt a connection with the sweet, naïve girl.

She stripped of her coat and flip flops, which was ironic, really. She had probably just broken one of the biggest fashion no-no's that her magazine seemed to publish every month, but somehow, she once again didn't care.

It was only nine, which meant that Millie was still working overtime. This ultimately meant she had more than enough time to take a quick shower before calling her brunette friend for dinner and drinks.

For some reason though, her mind kept traveling back to the previous encounter she had had with her mother. She knew she shouldn't think about it because she could already feel her nose and eyes begin to sting, but she couldn't help it. She didn't let it show, but it hurt her so deeply every time her mother pushed her away.

She wanted to make her so proud, but it seemed as thought everything she did either made things worse or went by completely unnoticed. She loved her mother, she may not show it, but she did. She always had and probably always would, because that's the type of person Brooke Davis is. She's able to _love _those that don't show her love, and able to see the goodness that lies deep within some of the cruelest people.

_Don't think that they'll change, _

_ They push you away, _

_ Far from home, _

_ Cause all that they are, _

_ Is broken inside, _

_ But they'll never know, _

_they'll never know._

She had to swallow up her feelings. She couldn't let the cracks on her mask spread, because then the facade that she has been perfecting most of her life would have been all for nothing.

Brooke was a strong girl, she was just starting to lose herself. The fire that captivated those few who had gotten the opportunity to catch glimpses of it would soon fade and die away, which would eventually lead to her becoming like one of the tycoon robots she was surrounded with.

"Brooke?" Brooke turned around, shrieking, to find a very wet Lucas walking out of her bedroom. He looked genuinely surprised to see her, which was just all too funny since this was _her_ apartment.

"Are you a fucking drug addict, because I feel like you must be," wailed Brooke, quickly turning her back to him, trying to dab at the tears that had been falling before he made his presence known.

"Well, we are engaged, so your casa mi casa," Lucas stated, shrugging his shoulders, as he walked around the island.

She was about to shoot back a witty reply, and show off her gift of speaking spanish, when she realized that Lucas wasn't wearing a towel.

Apparently he found her facial expression to be extremely humorous, because he began to laugh. He bent over, purposely grabbing the lowest object in the fridge, before turning back to Brooke.

"Back off, Davis," he snickered, unscrewing the diet coke bottle and taking a large gulp. "I'm saving myself for marriage," he winked, watching her face contort between shock and disgust.

"Please," she laughed, rolling her eyes as she crossed her legs. "My body definitely beats yours," she replied huskily, her sex appeal making it hard to keep himself down. _Literally_.

"Right," he grunted, taking another gulp of the refreshing liquid in the hopes that it would keep himself from envisioning his body ramming into her from behind.

"Lucas, the sooner you admit it, the sooner we can end this conversation."

He snickered, his pointer finger pointing playfully at her. "That's where you and I are different," he replied, his words becoming mumbled against the bottle. "I don't lie."

"Fuck you," she hissed. "I could turn _you_ on way faster than you could _me_," she continued, now getting up from the couch and making her way across the room. He couldn't help but notice how her hips swayed, perfectly in tune with the rest of her body.

Her hazel eyes were now a darker shade, and the way she was looking at him, it was as if she would pounce on him any second.

"Is that a bet?"

"Mhm," she nodded, now inches away from him.

"I guess you're not the rigid bitch I thought you were," he snickered, tracing his pointer finger against the silky skin of her collar bone.

The feel of his calloused fingers against her skin was like a glass of cold water in a desolate desert. It wasn't until she saw him naked that she realized how badly her body was craving the male touch that she hadn't experienced since college.

His hair was sleeked back from the shower, and his tan abs called to her like salvation. Thanks to the shower, she almost couldn't smell the disgusting cigarette scent that seemed to define him, and she began to realize that fucking him wouldn't be so nauseating.

Brooke Davis seemed like a very vapid person to those who did not know her, but looking into her mischievous hazel eyes, Lucas Scott knew that this statement was far from the truth.

She consciously reached out to touch his moist chest, his body tensing for a few seconds, but relaxing into her touch as she trailed her fingers farther south.

"_That's_ not fair," Lucas managed to say through a clenched jaw. He was completely naked whereas she was the polar opposite.

Her fingers were now a mere inch from his growing member. She couldn't help but smile when she noticed how quickly she could turn him on, and normally this would have turned her on more than she already was, but the thought of her mother came to mind, and the mood was quickly gone.

She knew that this was exactly what Victoria wanted. For her to get tangled up with this blonde, but she wasn't going to let that happen. She was going to make sure that things were strictly kept work related. She didn't need a relationship. Specially when the partner would be _Lucas_.

She wickedly smiled at the lust filled man that stood inches from her. "Looks like I won," she huskily stated, retracting her fingers from his skin as if his touch caused her pain.

Brooke didn't wait for him to snap out of his trance, before quickly turning around and throwing a kitchen towel at him.

"You think this is over?" she heared a primal side in his voice that caused tingles to shoot up her spine, and she was just about to reply with something witty, when she feelt his arms wrap around her waist, hosting her up onto the counter.

"Lucas-" she hardly had time to get used to the cold granite against her heated thighs, before he began placing hard kisses up and down her jaw line.

"You're so fucking _sexy_," he stated, Brooke not being able to stifle back a moan when he bit down on her pulse point.

She knows that this is wrong. It goes against every single rule that she has set for herself, but his body feels so damn good against hers. And that's when she swears that if she doesn't have Lucas Scott right now, she thinks she'll die.

"Lucas," she repeated again, this time his name coming out as a loud moan.

The sound is like music to his ears, because in a matter of seconds he's pulling her out of her dress, and his lips are making contact with hers for the first time.

She tasted like stale alcohol, but he didn't care. The way her tongue fought with his, and the way those ruby red lips felt against his own, he swore he'd come before he even had a chance to thrust into her.

"Brooke, I tried calling you to tell you that I was going to drop off some designs, but you weren't-" Millie's voice echoed into the kitchen, and Brooke began to cringe before Millie even saw the heated encounter that was going on in the room over. "Oh my God!" Millie shrieked, covering her eyes and running back into the living room.

"Millie, wait," Brooke grunted, pushing a smirking Lucas away from her, as she grabbed her coat and ran after her friend.

"Seriously, Brooke, forget about it," Millie replied, still covering her eyes as she picked up her purse from the coffee table.

"Wait!" Brooke demanded, grabbing her friend's wrists as she spun her around. Brooke instantly felt sorry upon seeing the frightened eyes that seemed to now define her friend. "Stay."

Milicent nodded, her eyes disgustingly meeting that of Lucas', who was comfortably leaning against the counter.

"I think you need to leave," Brooke stated, coolly. She wanted to look him in the eyes, to show him that she's still in charge, but she just _couldn't_.

"Fine," he shruged, still naked. "We can continue this on the honey mom, sweetie pie," he chastised, walking into the bathroom as he did so.

Brooke forced her eyes shut, using every bit of patience she had left to fight back the urge to say something back to him. This was all her fault, and now she must take the consequences. Who was she kidding when she thought that Lucas would be professional about this whole thing?

With that thought, she inwardly sighed. Opening her eyes to meet the questioning ones of her co-worker and friend, who mouthed a "what the fuck?" to Brooke.

Brooke whispered a "I'll tell you later," and they sat down on Brooke's couch, waiting for Lucas to come back into the room.

Eight minutes passed before Lucas walked back, this time wearing his gray t-shirt and jeans. But that didn't make a difference to Brooke, because every time she looked at him she couldn't help but picture him naked.

"Watch it, Davis, you're starting to drool," he grunted, putting on his shoes on as he does so.

Brooke gave him one of her oh-so-famous menacing looks, but quickly took her eyes off of him, because she was actually scared that she might have drooled a little.

_Pink flowers and bows, _

_ Is all you should know, _

_ And summer days _

_ Cause all that you are, _

_ Is beautiful child, _

_ But they'll never know, _

_they'll never know._

It wasn't until Brooke was sure that Lucas was at least ten blocks away that she allowed herself to focus on the confused woman sitting next to her.

"It really wasn't what you thought," Brooke finally whispered. Her eyes were glued to the beige wall that stood parallel to her, because she wouldn't allow herself to look at Millie. It was just too humiliating.

"I really don't know what I think," Millie laughed, but Brooke could tell there was no humor behind it. "The Brooke Davis I know hates Lucas," she blatantly stated, confusion not faltering.

"I do hate him," Brooke replied, almost too quickly, which earned her a skeptical look.

"Definitely didn't look like _hate_," Millie shrugged, now pulling a stack of papers from her teal, Lauren Merkin purse. "Then again, it's not my place to judge," Millie finished, giving her friend a small wink before handing her the large stack of papers.

"Thanks," Brooke replied, sarcastically. She really appreciated that he friend wasn't asking questions, and for a few seconds she even debated opening up to Millie, but she didn't feel comfortable with the idea. She didn't want people to know how weak and insecure she really was. Specially someone that she was so close with.

"Alright, well, I've got to get going." Millie stood up, shaking imaginary lint from her bright, flower patterned dress. Brooke could tell that Millie was doing this to buy her some time, in case Brooke was still deciding whether she wanted to confide in her or not.

"See ya," Brooke finally sighed, getting up and walking her friend the short distance to the door. She felt bad, she could tell that Millie was a little hurt by the fact that Brooke didn't yet feel comfortable sharing parts of her life. But the way Brooke looked at it, there was so much to say that she had no clue where to even start.

She gave her friend a quick, meaningful hug. But subconsciously compared it to being in Lucas' arms, and when she realized what she was doing, it was already to too late, because Millie had seen the look in her eyes.

"Brooke, honey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Brooke shrugged, giving her friend a dimple-less smile. She knew the act wasn't working, because Millie's brows furrowed in that way they always did when she was worried about something. "Honest," Brooke lied again. Not realizing that the lies only worried her friend more.

"I can tell you're lying," Millie stated matter-of-factedly.

"I'm not."

"Yeah."

"No."

"Brooke."

"Millicent."

"Stop!" Brooke finally snapped, throwing her hands in defeat, as she stormed into the kitchen followed by her friend.

"I will if you just tell me what's wrong," Millie soothed, her eyes now full of sympathy, and Brooke hated everything about it. This was exactly why she didn't want anyone to know how she felt. Because when they looked at her, this was all she would see in their eyes. _Pitty_.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because," Brooke was now fighting back the burning sensation that was radiating from her hazel orbs. She didn't want to cry, but suddenly it was as if everything she had been trying to hold in wanted to come out. "I'm just tired," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Brooke looked up from the kitchen counter, her eyes making contact with Millie's, before diverting her gaze back to the counter. It hurt too much to see the genuine concern in her friend's face, but she couldn't let it get to her.

She just needed a break. She just needed to get away from all of this, and eventually it would all be okay. She kept telling herself that even though she knew it was a lie. A vacation wasn't going to make her mom_ love _her. Quite the opposite, actually.

_Don't you cry, tonight_

_ Rest your weary eyes_

_ Cause all that you are _

_ Is broken inside, _

_ It's nothing you can change, _

_ It's nothing you could hide, _

_ It's nothing you could hide._

"You know I worry about you, right?" Millie asked, now standing next to Brooke, an armed tightly wrapped around a shaking shoulder.

"Yeah," Brooke whispered through a sniffle.

"And you know that if you ever need anything, I'm here."

"Thank you," Brooke managed to choke out, her cloudy vision becoming worse as a deeper wave of emotions hit her.

She couldn't help but wish that it was her mom that had her arm draped over her. Whispering soothing words, and planting sweet kisses on her brunette hair. This wasn't the last time that she had wished, or imagined this. She had been doing so since she was a teenage girl, and probably would until the day she died.

This wish would never be answered, though, and she was fully aware of that. Her mother didn't know the first thing about love, and if she did, she wasn't willing to show any to her one and only daughter.

_Rest your precious eyes_

_ Cause all that you are, _

_ Is beautiful child._


	4. Home

_Three updates in less than a week? Oh, I am good! Actually, I wish. I have the worst track record when it comes to updating, but I promise you girls that it has changed. I wondered away from writing for a few months, but I am back and better than ever!... I think?_

_I decided to skip school today, since I had a night from hell yesterday. I'm sad and mad and hurt, so I decided what better way to pass time and forget about it than updating a story? So naturally, the story that matches my current mood the most is this one. Thus, an update. _

_I hope you girls enjoy this update and leave me tons and tons of reviews! Haha. They're seriously the thing that makes me happiest. Is that kind of pathetic? _

_OHH, and if you have a twitter, check out my bio and click the link to mine. We can, like, totally be twitter bifffs._

_Xx N._

_-X-_

Brooke wakes up, a small gasp escaping her as she remembers the conversation that her and Millie had last night.

_Stupid _she tells herself. That's what she is, stupid. She's stupid for being so weak and letting someone whom she works with see just how broken she really is.

She's never really gotten close with anyone, that is, other than Rachael. And Brooke likes it just like that.

Even with Rachael, there was an unspoken agreement between the two that they would never allow the other to be weak or vulnerable. So because of that, they didn't really even let the other see their hurting.

And as sick and wrong as it was, Brooke liked it that way.

So naturally, friendships with her have a natural barrier that she, herself sets without even noticing. She doesn't mind having girl time every now and then, in fact she enjoys it. She doesn't mind giggling with her few 'friends' over a new hottie at work, and she sure as hell doesn't mind making 'friends'.

She just never lets them really in. And then maybe she figures that because of that none of them can really be considered friends.

To everyone, Brooke has the perfect life.

Even she sometimes believes that.

And when that happens, she scares herself. Because she's the best at hiding her emotions and painting a good front, and she knows that if she keeps living this way she won't last very long.

Forcing herself out of bed, she slips into her favorite silk slippers, deciding that a cup of coffee and some TV will be the perfect distraction on this Sunday morning.

She knows she should be going over paper work and making a few calls to clients, but today she just feels like being _young_.

Which is all too ironic because she's only twenty-three, yet she feels like she's lived a hundred years.

Walking into the kitchen, Brooke almost trips over her robe as she finds Lucas Scott sitting on her kitchen table, watching the TV in the living room, which is separated from the kitchen by marble counter.

She's not dumb, and by now she figures that these little visits are him trying to get a reaction out of her, so keeping her face void of emotion, she grabs the remote and turns off the TV.

"Get off of my table," she orders, unamused as she walks towards her fridge.

Smirking, he can't help but appreciate the view that her silk robe gives him. "I was wondering when you'd get up."

God, she really fucking hates him. Everything about that smirk of his down to the way he always seems to study her. He just seems to irk her like no one before.

"Scott, seriously, you're starting to act like a stalker." She speaks indignantly, because she's never met someone that actually finds pleasure in torturing others.

Oh, wait. Yeah, that's right. She used to love torturing him.

"I'm just doing what your mom says." He shrugs, hopping off the table, much to Brooke's pleasure.

Grabbing a sponge from her sink, she walks over towards the spot on the table that he had occupied, and begins to scrub it profusely.

He can't help but laugh at her actions, and once the dark wood is clean enough that she can quite literally see her tired expression, she turns her eyes back to Lucas.

"And what is that my mom has said?" she asks, trying to seem as un-bothered by the words and even the situation, but she knows her attempts are futile because for some reason he can see right through her.

She tries to tell herself that it's because they've worked together for so long.

"Well since the wedding needs to look kinda legit, we gotta invite people and plan it out," he explains nonchalantly.

"No matter who we invite it won't seem 'legit'," she quips, stifling a laugh as she does so.

"And why's that?" he asks, watching her quizzically as she moves about her kitchen.

"Because everyone in this planet knows we hate each other!" Brooke wails, cynically throwing her arms in the air.

God, he's so fucking stupid.

"And that's why were supposed to make them think otherwise."

"Lucas, who the fuck is going to believe we actually love each other," she asks seriously, her brow raised in expectation of an answer she knows he can't give her.

"It depends," he shrugs, walking towards the couch and flipping the TV back on.

"On what?" Brooke huffs, trying her damn best to block the screen with her petite frame.

"On how good of an actress you are," he smiles, moving her out of the way with his leg.

-X-

Brooke was unwillingly sitting at one of her favorite Italian cafes. Normally, she loved escaping here from work with Millie for a quick lunch break, or even taking a walk in the mornings for some breakfast, but now, she hates sitting on the red, wicker chairs.

Why? Because opposite her sat her demonic mother, and next to her sat her little sidekick, Lucas.

"God, Brooke, why did you pick this place?" Victoria repulsively asks her daughter, her nose raised so high in arrogance that it iss almost directly pointing at the clear sky.

Brooke isn't all too surprised by the older woman's comment, yet it still stings a little because it only continues to prove how polar the two women are.

"Can you just tell me why you needed to talk to me?" Brooke courtly asks, and at this her mother seems to forget her ignored question.

"Right." Victoria nods, reaching into her purse as she does so. "I have gathered a list of appropriate people for you two to invite, and-"

"Actually," Brooke speaks, cutting her mother off before she has any chance to continue. "Lucas and I planned something else."

"We did?" Lucas asks, watching Brooke's jaw clench as she discretely nods for him to go along with it. "Oh, we did," Lucas laughs, slightly smacking himself in an attempt to correct his slip up.

"Yeah," Brooke huskily drawls out, mentally slapping him in the face for being so fucking stupid.

"And what is this plan you two speak of?" Victoria pushes, unimpressed by the two.

"We're going to get married in my hometown," Lucas offers proudly.

Something between a shriek or whimper of horror escapes Brooke from the utter shock of what Lucas has said, and before she even has a chance to speak up, Lucas continues.

"I grew up in the most beautiful town in North Carolina, and I figured it would really make it seem more real if it was done in a more quite and sentimental place," Lucas explains, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lighting one.

The gesture only causing a deeper shade of crimson to grace Brooke's face.

She doesn't bother to even tell her mother that Lucas's plan isn't what she has in mind; she was going to offer that they only invite family and close friends.

She knows that the chance of her mother agreeing to Lucas's plan is literally slim to none.

"Lucas," Victoria begins, her eyes watching Lucas with pure amazement. "That is an incredible idea." At this, Brooke's jaw quite literally drops.

"I can see it now," Victoria continues, gazing into the busy New York streets. "The wedding taking place in a small, little hick town, both of you saying how this is the place you two have been taking secret vacations to for the past year... Oh, Lucas! You are absolutely brilliant!" gasps Victoria, smiling at the blonde man with nothing short of adoration.

"W-wait, no-" Brooke tries to speak up, her mind not entirely able to comprehend what just happened.

"Oh, hush, Brooke," Victoria hisses, waving a hand over her daughter's face. "Lucas, go into the company data bank and use my card to book a flight for the two of you. I want you both to go to the town immediately while I get everything together," Victoria instructs, her mind darting between all the preparation that needs to be done.

"Good-bye, Lucas, good-bye, Brooke darling!" she calls out over her shoulder as she sprints across the street, her phone already pressed to her ear.

"Lucas, just walk away," Brooke whispers through closed eyes, unable to spend another second in his presence.

-X-

If she had thought that the weather would be a tad bit warmer further south, she was wrong.

Tree Hill is just as cold as New York, if not frostier, and as she steps out of the airport, she finds her bare fingers clinging tightly to the thin cardigan that she is wearing.

The landscape is beautiful, with a few inches of snow delicately coating the now barren trees, but Brooke isn't about to admit that.

She has her mind set on hating Tree Hill, and when Brooke has her mind set on something, you sure as hell better believe that she's going to stick by it.

"Are you cold?" Lucas asks, and she wants to tell him that she's freezing, but that would only mean that she would have to admit that he was right and she should have worn a jacket, so shaking her head, she replies with a biting "no."

"My mom dropped her car off in the parking lot, so we won't have to waste money renting a car," Lucas explains, gently placing his hand on the small of her back as he guides her into a parking lot.

Normally, she would have pulled away, but his body is bringing an unbelievably good amount of heat to her freezing one, so she tries to swallow her pride and ignores that it's even happening. "Awesome," she says sarcastically, her fake smile dissolving almost as quickly as her warm breath in the cold air.

"Listen, Brooke, I know I already told ya, but it's really important that my family believe that we actually are getting married," Lucas reminds the brunette worriedly.

"Yes, Lucas, I know," Brooke replies, rolling her eyes in boredom as he's stressed this to her a countless amount of times.

"Do you need me to go over everyone again?" he asks, ignoring Brooke's answer completely.

"Ughhhh," Brooke moans. "For the last time, no!" Brooke wails, not able to tolerate another second of this. "Your mom's name is Karen. Your ex is Peyton. Your best friend is Haley. Her husband, and your half brother is Nathan. And their son, and your godson is Jamie," Brooke finishes, plastering on another smile up at Lucas.

"I know you don't wanna be here, but you are, so can you just maybe try and be a little bit more... cheery?" Lucas asks, when deafening silence falls between the two.

By now they've reached the car, and as she's forced to pull away from him, she lets out a small groan because she's back to being cold, even if it's just for a few seconds.

When she's seated inside, Lucas throws her the keys to get the car started, and he turns towards the trunk to load the luggage.

She's not sure what the model of the car is, but she's sure that it was made in the early 90s. The inside of it is clean though, and Brooke takes a second to appreciate that.

Opening the glove compartment, Brooke doesn't have to rummage for long before she finds a few pictures pushed towards a corner in the small compartment.

One she guesses is of a elementary school aged Lucas. He's in what Brooke guesses to be a basketball gym, and he's smiling proudly at the camera with a trophy that is half his size. She can't help but smile at his toothless grin, and when she flips it over her previous guess is proven correct. In messy handwriting, that she guesses to be Lucas's at the time, it says "Lucas Eugene Scott - First grade."

"Eugene," she murmurs, turning around for a second to watch the now much older blonde, before turning her attention to the other picture.

In this picture, Lucas appears to be in high school. He's not alone, tho. To the right is a brunette woman that seems much too young to be his mother, but something about her smile tells Brooke that it is. She smiles, yet again, because she has yet to meet the woman, and she can already tell how much she adores her son.

And the thought begins to cause Brooke to have unwanted ones about her own mother, so she turns her gaze to the other woman, or in this case, girl.

She has curly blonde hair, and large green eyes. Brooke won't deny that she's beautiful in a very unique way, and she almost wants to guess that it's Haley, but the kiss that Lucas is planting on her forehead tells her that it's not.

"Peyton," she whispers, running her pointer finger over the slightly crinkled picture.

"What?" Lucas asks, sitting into the driver's seat, glancing over at what Brooke is holding. "That's my mom and Peyton," he acknowledges, putting the keys into the ignition as he does so.

"She's pretty," Brooke whispers, putting the picture back into the compartment.

"She's also in the past," Lucas laughs, pulling out of the parking lot as he does so.

"What made you two break up?" she asks shyly, and the shocked look on Lucas's face makes her regret it instantly.

"Is Brooke Davis, The Brooke Davis, actually showing interest in my life?" Lucas asks in mock shock, and Brooke's cheeks turn a crimson shade of red.

"No! I-"

"It's cool, Davis, I'm just playing," he assures, watching her silently curse herself from the corner of his eye. "We just realized we were too much alike and there was really nothing there," he recalls, shrugging at the thought. "We're better off as friends."

"Oh, so you guys still talk?"

"Kind of, I mean, there's a text sent here and there, and the occasional Christmas gift, but that's about it."

"Oh," is all Brooke can say, and she wants to kick herself for feeling disappointed.

What the hell does she care if Lucas still talks to his ex?

That's right, she doesn't.

"You don't have to worry tho," he says, causing Brooke to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "You're much, much hotter than she is."

"You are such a pervert!" Brooke shrieks, slapping him on the shoulder. But as much as she wants to pretend that the comment wasn't the reason for her heart rate to speed up, she can't.

"Just sayin'!" he laughs, raising his hands from the steering wheel in surrender, which only results in another smack from Brooke.

-X-

The ride to Lucas's home was an oddly quick one, and Brooke isn't sure if that was a good thing. She's not even marrying the guy, yet she's still nervous out of her mind.

"Lucas, my baby!" the warm voice of a woman greets the couple as they step into the small, yet nicely decorated home.

"Ma," Lucas laughs, pulling the brunette woman into a hug.

Brooke doesn't know what to, so she's left balancing her petite frame from right foot to left foot, not being able to help the innocent smile that spreads across her face as she watches the two interact.

After what seems like hours, mother and son brake apart, and Karen's motherly gaze turns to Brooke.

"And you must be the beautiful young woman that my son has been gushing about," Karen sighs, clapping her hands as she takes in Brooke's beauty with awe.

"Oh, gushing, huh?" Brooke laughs, allowing the older woman to pull her into a loving embrace.

It almost causes her to explode into tears, because she's never thought it possible for someone to love a person that they've never met before.

"And you are so much more beautiful than what I could have imagined!" Karen gasps, holding Brooke at arms length. "How did my son get so lucky?" she asks Brooke, causing Lucas to moan out another "Ma...!"

"I don't know, Karen," Brooke laughs, showing the world those glorious little valleys that seem to form on each cheek every time she does.

"Well, the others are in the kitchen, come on, I'll introduce you."

"Okay," Brooke nods, following the bubbly mother as Lucas slows down his pace so he and Brooke are walking side by side.

"Maybe we should hold hands?" Brooke asks awkwardly, once Karen is out of the room and she's sure the woman won't hear her.

But before she even has time to look up at him for an answer, his hand is securely wrapped around her waist as he leads her into the now full of life kitchen.

There are at least half a dozen faces smiling down at her and Brooke can't help but return the gesture to every single one of them.

She can feel Lucas's hand leave the security of her waist, and travel towards the small of her back as he guides her towards a face that she doesn't recognize, yet she's sure she can guess who it is.

"Brooke, this is Haley, Haley this is-"

"Hush, Lucas!" the feisty best friend hisses, waving his words away. "I can introduce myself!" she scolds through the large smile on her face, and in turn Lucas throws his hands in the air, laughing along with Haley. "I'm Haley, it is so, so nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," Brooke smiles.

"Oh, and this," Haley laughs, reaching down towards someone Brooke had not noticed. "Is my son, James," Haley introduces, picking up the toddler and cradling him against her hip.

"Well, you are much, much more adorable than I could've imagined!" Brooke coos, her insides melting as she watches the little boy's face turn into a big grin.

"I'm four!" he exclaims, holding up a fist full of little, chubby fingers.

"Oh, you're such a big boy!" Brooke gasps, placing a hand across her chest.

"Yup." He nods triumphantly.

"Well, Big J. I better take my, uh, Brooke away from you before you steal her away," Lucas tries to say through a straight face, as he fakes worry to the young child.

"I already have a girl friend, Uncle Luke!"

"Alright, Jamie, let's let Uncle Luke and soon-to-be Aunt Brooke meet everyone else," Haley whispers to her son, mouthing 'he gets over excited' to the_ couple_.

Brooke doesn't have the time to even turn around before another unfamiliar face pulls her into a tight hug.

"About time Lukey brought home a girl!" A deep masculine voice exclaims, as he pulls away from the tight hug.

"Brooke, this is Nathan," Lucas introduces, rolling his eyes at his brother.

"Dude, I thought you turned gay or something," his brother says honestly, before erupting into a shared laugh with Brooke.

"Oh, I assure you," begins Brooke, seductively pulling Lucas closer to her, "he is definitely not gay."

"Dude, get a room!" Nathan laughs, shaking his head at the seemingly in love couple.

Oh, if only they knew.

Time was passing by in a blur; and maybe it was because Brooke found herself actually having fun. The meal that was cooked by Karen and Haley was to die for, and Brooke found herself repeating just that to the two hostesses. During the middle of the dinner, the famous question of how they met was brought up and Lucas could only smile proudly at Brooke as the lie seemed to so easily flow from her lips.

"Well, when he started working for me we didn't really get along very well," Brooke began, in turn causing a few eye brows to arch in curiosity. "But then one night we had to go to a company dinner together, and the clients ended up not showing up, so we kinda got stuck together," Brooke laughs, causing a few giggles to escape the listening women. "Ever since then we've just been inseparable," Brooke finishes, shrugging as she turns her gaze to Lucas. "Definitely the love of my life," she sighs, running a loving finger over the slight stubble on his cheek.

And in that moment Lucas Scott thinks that Brooke Davis should take up acting.


End file.
